


Interconnections

by eternitywrites, Savagen



Series: Where Magic Leads [1]
Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Dildos, Domestic Fluff, Ficlet Collection, Flirting, Gen, Kissing, Light Bondage, M/M, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-18 04:01:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3555296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternitywrites/pseuds/eternitywrites, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savagen/pseuds/Savagen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The mostly ordinary life of a young, up-and-coming charm shopkeeper and his friends and loved ones in an equally ordinary city where magic and monsters run rampant and witches peddle their wares next to grocery stores and Coil shops.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Fundamentals (Noiz x Aoba)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aoba and Noiz have made it a comforting habit to spend Heibon’s after hours like this whenever they have the time for it, chattering away until the sun sinks to the moon and stars. Sometimes the conversation is light and silly, other times it's passionate debate. This time, as is most often the case, it's an intimate mix of both. 
> 
> Rated G

Aoba comes back to the counter with a heavy book in his hands. The sight is nothing new to Noiz. Their conversations often culminate into a frantic race to see who can pull out the best reference the fastest. The tome itself is bound in leather, pages deep yellow with age, text minuscule in size, scent sharp and musty when opened. This, too, is familiar to him. Heibon is all about the old and traditional, the worn and well-used. Sometimes he feels as if he leaves the store with its aura sticking to him. A heavy cloud sprinkled with motes of dust and the steady heartbeat of sleeping spellwork. He has grown to like it. There are a lot of things he likes about Heibon nowadays.

Noiz twines his fingers together, slips them under his chin. “Mephisto again?”

“Got a problem with that?” Aoba shoots him a warning glare as he flips to the opening chapter.

“You ever consider using information from authors that were alive in the last couple of centuries?”

Aoba swats at him, another frequent thing between them. Noiz lets the blow land on his shoulder without complaint. It isn’t much of a comeback and they both know it.

“I do! But Mephisto is still a top authority. The...” He squints down at the book. “treatise on the...malleable, universal soul...? Wow, this is actually kind of — ”

“Outdated?” Noiz offers.

“Shut up.”

Another weak retort. Noiz smiles as Aoba attempts to recover.

“The general idea is still considered more or less right,” he insists. But he closes the book and trades it for Ren, who is sleeping near the cash register. The familiar wakes up long enough to settle more comfortably in Aoba’s arms before closing his eyes again. “Basically, individual souls are incredibly powerful and sort of…leak out of us, I guess. All of that leakage, from the souls of everything that has ever lived, forms the field that our magic comes from.”

Noiz looks away, mulls the idea over. “So it’s actually been proven that we have souls?”

“Um…”

He looks back at Aoba. Aoba returns the stare, somewhat at a loss.

“I’m a little out of my depth here,” he admits at last. “I can’t say for sure if that’s true. I don’t think anyone can, really. Calling the the sum of everyone’s gathered thoughts and emotions and…whatever else ‘souls’ is just the easy way to refer to it all, I guess. It’s how most kids first learn about the magic field. I’m surprised you never heard it when you were young — ah…”

Most kids. What is left unsaid but telegraphed clearly in the following silence is that Noiz does not belong in that group.

“Sorry,” Aoba adds a moment later.

Noiz shrugs, though coming up with a way to move past the sudden somberness is not easy for him. He isn’t exactly at peace with much of his childhood, but gone are the days where most memories of it hurt. They are scabs, ugly and irritating without much discomfort.

And they are currently cutting into time he now considers very precious.

“I’m not that sensitive. Forget about it,” Noiz tells him, then he wonders if he misspoke in some manner, judging by the sudden frown twisting Aoba’s lips, but presses on. “There has to be some other official explanation on the source of magic that doesn’t rely on a concept no one can prove exists.”

He isn’t trying to be difficult, not really. The curiosity inside him is honest, still growing beyond the small pool of skills he has sharpened to fine points. He finds himself pulling out his old telescope more often, glancing through tomes of magic subjects he never had any interest in not even a year before, browsing internet articles on witch history in both Japan and Germany, random things he now wants to know just for the sake of knowing it, even if he disagrees. It’s a bit like an itch, he thinks, and it’s strangely not at all unpleasant.

“Now that you mention it,” Aoba gets up from his stool, cradling Ren like a beloved infant while he considers the overflowing floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that lines an entire wall of his store, “someone from the local university came in to donate their fall semester books yesterday. Let’s see, here...”

Noiz watches as Aoba heads over to the end of the shelf, murmuring to himself. He’s still in his work outfit, shoulders bare and sleeves loose and billowing. Aoba once told him his customers respond better to a mystical appearance over anything casual, otherwise he’d be in jeans and a shirt faster than blinking. Noiz finds that sort of dedication to work rather admirable. Just as admirable as he finds the view of Aoba’s body made softer by flowing clothes.

His smile widens. He unlaces his fingers and leans his head against an upturned hand, instead.

“What’s with that look?”

Aoba tosses the tome at him before plunking his free hand on his hip.

“Nothing.”

“Right.” His drawl is dry with disbelief. “Well, does that suit your style better? Last year’s edition of _An Overview of Major Magical Principles_ , written by a group of witches with all kinds of fancy degrees and certifications.”

“Never thought either of those things mattered much in the long run, really. So long as you know what you’re doing.” Noiz examines the tome he caught. It’s a sizable paperback somewhat worn around the edges due to rough handling, but the pages are fresh and the font legible, which is more than what a majority of the books on the shelves can say for themselves. “Read it to me.”

“Did you forget how?” Aoba asks as he returns to his seat across Noiz, but there’s no real annoyance in his words.

“I learn better by ear,” Noiz lies. “Please, Seragaki-sensei, I’d like to hear the latest on magical sources from your mouth, first.”

Aoba groans loud and disgustedly. “No, don’t even go there!”

“Not into it?” _Now_ he’s being difficult. Just a touch. “I figured older guys go in for some student-teacher play.”

“Is my store a classroom?” Aoba gestures around them, his face already a little hot. “Are you expecting me to grade your essays?”

“If you want to be that detailed about it, sure.” Noiz leans across the counter and lowers his voice. “What will you do if I fail my assignment? Will I have to stay after class with you?”

Aoba’s expression falls flat. “I’ll be forced to consider holding you back a year. If it comes to that my colleagues and I will discuss which one of them has a teaching style that better suits your needs.”

“That wasn’t very sexy, hasi.”

“Real life usually isn’t.”

It doesn’t take long for Aoba to break, his face scrunching up with a laugh that seems to clear the quiet, stuffy atmosphere of a magical goods store crowded with second-hand products and empty of customers. The sound does something to Noiz, too, filling his insides with feathery warmth. And maybe there’s more to the sensation beyond Noiz’s deep, rooted feelings for him. Aoba favors his voice for working his craft the way Noiz channels most magic through his hands, and he has come to realize that Aoba isn’t as average as he often claims to be.

But that is a puzzle that still needs to be figured out. One day. Certainly not now. Noiz decides to chalk it all up to adoration. Keep things simple for the time being even though he knows it’s not.

“You’re an idiot,” Aoba decides.

“Is that something a teacher should say to his — mmn…”

Aoba doesn’t let the kiss he presses against him linger. It’s a quick, sneaking touch that packs all the force of a fist rammed into Noiz’s gut. Aoba sets Ren down on the counter and takes the tome from his slackened grip.

“I bet the glossary has the theory.” Aoba’s cheeks are very pink as he turns the pages, offset by a pleased grin.

All interest in the subject has scattered from Noiz’s mind. “Wait. Let’s — ”

“You can stay right where you are!” Aoba laughs again, pushing Noiz’s forehead away when he moves in for a second kiss. “Patience, okay? Learning should come first.”

Noiz thinks they can learn quite a lot by touching each other. Aoba glances at him.

“Hey, don’t get all gloomy on me. I’m even going to read this out loud to you like you asked.”

“I’m not — ! Ugh.” Whatever. Noiz rolls his eyes and sighs at Aoba’s answering chuckle, keeping the rest of his words to himself until Aoba finds the definition.

“Here it is.” He taps the end of page far in the back of the tome. “‘The theory of interconnection. It is referred to by many other names that span across countries and cultures. Some of the more popular colloquial terms for it are ‘the witch’s wellspring’ and ‘the universal soul’, the latter of which coined by the famous European mystic scholar known only as Mephisto’ — ha! See, Mephisto is totally relevant today.”

“Enough with Mephisto, already.” Noiz waves a dismissive hand. “Keep going.”

Aoba huffs. “Fine, fine! Where was I…? ‘The theory of interconnection states that the energy of all things on the physical plane makes up the field, and the field makes up the energy that can manipulate the physical plane.’”

Noiz raises his eyebrows when it becomes apparent Aoba has reached the end of the definition. “That’s it?”

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’?” Aoba snaps the book shut.

“It’s kind of underwhelming.”

“I wasn’t trying to blow your mind with it,” Aoba tells him. “But it’s the basis of everything we do as witches. Even the smallest charm follows interconnection. Wouldn’t you say that makes the concept pretty important?”

No matter how much Noiz considers it he can’t quite agree. “Not exactly. It’s not going to change how I mod things.”

“That’s not the point. It’s supposed to solidify your understanding of witchcraft.”

“I don’t know about that, either. Everything I’ve learned so far is still correct, even if I apply interconnection to it.”

“When you put it that way I guess it isn’t all that exciting.” Aoba makes a soft, thoughtful sound from the back of his throat. “It’s probably how advanced you are that makes you so unimpressed with the basics.”

Noiz narrows his eyes, not sure how he feels about the tone of those words. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you’re really smart with magic,” Aoba explains. “Of course a guy like you would get stuff like this innately. And you cast such complicated spells so easily. Even Granny says you’re one of the best arithmancers she’s come across, and you know how she is.”

Noiz knows very well how Tae is. Hearing such praise makes the bottom of his stomach squirm. “I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just...do what I do. Besides, it’s not like my skill range is very wide. Not like your grandmother’s. Not like yours, either.”

“Are you embarrassed? Ha, that’s rare. And pretty cute. I should take a picture.”

_“Don't.”_

Much to Noiz’s relief, Aoba doesn’t lift his Coil up despite his wicked laughter.

“You’re always so easily impressed,” Noiz tells him, eager to move back to a safer topic.

“You make that sound like a bad thing.”

“It’s the truth. And it’s not bad,” he adds when Aoba looks ready to protest. “You find interconnection impressive, don’t you? You were so excited to tell me when I said I didn’t know about it. Why? Did it help you with magic when you were younger?”

“Not exactly. It’s because, uh…” Noiz is somewhat surprised to see Aoba falter, his gaze darting around as if looking for inspiration. Or ways to stall for time.

“What?”

“It’s not for any scholarly reason,” Aoba admits, reaching out to pet Ren with an unnecessary amount of concentration. “It’s personal and…oh, I just know you’ll make fun of me for it.”

A prick of indignation digs into Noiz. “At least give me a chance before you think that.”

“It’s really corny, trust me,” Aoba mumbles, glancing up at him again. “But, okay. So…‘the energy of all things makes up the field’, right?”

“Right.”

“And then there’s the whole ‘universal soul’ tradition. I just…as a kid I — geez, this is hard to explain…”

The way he fidgets, his hesitant, quiet words as he tries to gather his thoughts…it’s a secret Aoba’s about to share with him, something he keeps tucked away in a deep, vulnerable corner inside himself. The nervous movements are a stark reminder for Noiz. He needs to be more careful, caring. He knows how hard it is to trust someone else.

“I liked the idea a lot,” Aoba says at last. “Still do. When I’m practicing incantations or something it’s…the theory of interconnection confirms — at least for me — that even casting small spells links you with something _way_ bigger than yourself. You belong somewhere important with so many others, with _everyone,_ even when you’re still a kid and you…just don’t feel that way sometimes.” He grimaces. “See? Corny.”

“I see.” The rush of nostalgia following Aoba’s confession is marred with a sticky sort of sickness that clings to Noiz’s lungs. He blows out a heavy breath and stares up at the ceiling. It’s strung with strange mobiles, glittering crystals and marbles, coins that shine and origami that move on their own. He also sees the shadowy memory of an ornate light fixture, dusty and cobwebbed. It’s turned off, however. There’s never any light when he thinks about his old bedroom.

“Noiz?” He can still hear the worry in Aoba’s voice, distant as it is.

“It’s not corny,” Noiz says at last.

Looking into Aoba’s eyes is a relief. He is in the present, in a small shop near Aoyagi Street, with mod commissions waiting for him when he returns to his apartment and someone so very important to him waiting for him to speak. The bedroom of his childhood is far, far away from everything that is with him now.

“I think I get it,” he tells Aoba, finding his hand and running his thumb across the back of it. “For the longest time I thought arithmancy was the only thing I had going for me.”

“But it isn’t!”

Noiz doesn’t comment on those words. Doesn’t even smile as he soaks them up. It’s enough for him just to hear it. “I kept practicing no matter what my parents tried to do, until it was all I cared about. I was never able to put the feeling into words but after hearing what you just said…I think I understand why now.”

Aoba squeezes his hand. “But you told me you were still lonely.”

“Yeah. In the end I guess it wasn’t enough even if it kept me going. But I don’t regret it. I’d do it all over again. Becoming a witch brought me here. To you.” He pauses. “Is _that_ corny?”

The question does what he hoped it would do. Aoba laughs a surprised, spluttering laugh. “No! Of course it isn’t. I…thank you for telling me.”

“It wasn't hard for me to say.”

“Still.” Aoba doesn’t elaborate further. "You’ve been pretty patient.”

The suddenness of his latter statement catches Noiz off-guard. “Huh?”

“Did you forget?”

Again, Aoba manages to sucker punch him with a kiss. This time it’s slower, deeper, thorough in warm, wet exploration. Noiz swallows the gentle sounds that slip out of Aoba’s mouth and into his, lets himself drift in it, and knows right then and there that the theory of interconnection has become something incredibly important to both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fundamentals written by eternitywrites.
> 
> Another day, another AU. This being "the setting is the same except let's turn Rhyme into magic and see what happens". It's been in the works between me and my partner in crime Savagen for quite awhile. There is no overarching story (I'm serious about that "slice of life" tag) but we've cooked up a collection of oneshot ideas that feature just about every character at one point or another. Hope you enjoy it, it's all good feels here in our witchy version of Midorijima~
> 
> PS: Savagen used her stylish art skills to draw up [witch](http://undergale.tumblr.com/post/111939717205/onemoreeternity-his-necklaces-are-probably) [Aoba!](http://undergale.tumblr.com/post/109581051180/onemoreeternity-more-i-thought-that-his) Those earrings of his are clip-ons, and he uses them as magic amps over fashion statements. Still cute, though.


	2. Self-Taught (Noiz)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you tell a precocious child "no" and give him a piss-poor reason for your answer.
> 
> Rated G

Noiz is eight years old, is never referred to as Noiz even by himself, and at that age has learned that his parents did not care much for questions. Or, more specifically, they did not care for the “odd” questions he tends to ask them. They care only that he obey their rules, the rules of his many tutors, and the rules of the tight-knit, insular society the family has been a part of since its beginning. He tries because he craves affection the way most children crave affection, and it often does not work out in his favor because he is bored of the things his parents put in front of him.

But then he discovers magic, and he is no longer bored.

It happens in the late hours of the night, when the entire house is asleep. He’s too restless to consider the severity of the scolding he will get if he is caught awake far past his bedtime. All he wants to do is get ahead in his lessons, and it occurred to him all at once while brushing his teeth after dinner that evening that the house library would have subjects more interesting and advanced than what his tutors drone on about. He can never understand why they don’t seem to approve of him reading past the pages they assign him out of his textbooks. Since they won’t teach him what he knows he’s ready to learn he figures he will do the learning on his own. Privately, so no one will bother him about slowing down.

He treads through the long, dark corridors with quiet care and finds himself in the library a few tense minutes later. It is not a place expressly forbidden to him (it is left unlocked, after all), but it feels like it should be. The room exudes scholarly extravagance. He half-expects an alarm to go off when he closes the door and turns on the lights.

A part of him wishes Theo was with him, but it’s a little too late to go back and wake him up. Perhaps he'll tell him about this excursion in the morning.

He takes a deep breath and heads into a corner of the library. The sheer amount of options in the wall-to-wall bookshelves assures him he’ll find something interesting soon, and not even half an hour goes by before he stumbles upon an anomaly wedged between books on world history. Its spine is rough, cracked, and bears no title. He pulls it out and finds that it’s so old it has lost most of its color. The front has no words or images printed on it, either. He opens it with a frown. There is kanji scrawled on the inside of the cover in fading ink.

_“I have given up many things for this new life, but I cannot bear to destroy every link to my old one.”_

Goosebumps crawl down his arms. Heart quickening, he turns the page. The first few lines of the introduction reveal he has something amazing in his hands.

Something amazing and most certainly forbidden.

He grabs a random book from the overflowing end of another shelf and shoves it into space left by the book he has taken before rushing back to his room, straight for the device that lets him access the internet sitting on his nightstand. It’s little more than a child’s toy and many websites are barred to him due to parental controls, but he feels like he has to try.

Handling the book like a precious, delicate treasure, he scans through pages until he finds something he’s familiar with. Pythagoras. His math teacher mentions him every so often. He looks him up, and it doesn’t take a lot of work from there — a handful of internet links at most — before he finds the term arithmancy. The article is a lot less complicated than the charts and passages written in the book. He doesn’t know how long he stays up reading it, but when he finally collapses into fitful slumber there is a small, brilliant spark in his mind that will never go out.

Upon waking up the next day, he decides he needs to know more.

Curiosity beats down apprehension. When the opportunity arises he stands near his father’s large, polished mahogany desk in his study, waiting to be noticed as his father writes and writes and writes. His father does not acknowledge him, so he speaks first. He doesn’t mention the library, the book, or what he found on the internet last night.

The scratch of the pen stops. He sets his face tight and still as his father eyes him, seemingly from a very great height.

“ _Zauber_  is not a pastime for members of this family. Leave it to those beneath us and forget it.”

“Okay.”

The quiet disapproval in his father’s voice is enough to shut him down completely. It is all he hears nowadays. His father goes back to writing, he leaves the study, and when he types in the site address to that wondrous article of beginner’s arithmancy later that night he finds it has been blocked.

He shuts off the internet and goes back to pouring over that decrepit book under the low light of his bedside lamp, and when he is too tired to continue reading he lifts his mattress the best he can and sticks it underneath. He’ll need to think of a better hiding spot for it later.

Noiz is eight, not yet Noiz, and decides not to bother asking his parents anything else after that. He wants to keep them happy and he knows appearances mean the most to them. So long as he _appears_ obedient, he surmises that will be enough for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self-Taught written by eternitywrites.
> 
> Noiz's dad is an asshole no matter which AU he's mentioned in. Incredible. 
> 
> So in the end Savagen and I decided to rename this and call our entire witch AU Where Magic Leads. This is now a dumping ground of our shorter scenes, and will be updated by us both. Sorry for any confusion caused by all this switching around!


	3. All Work and No Play (Aoba, Koujaku, the 3 brats)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's good to take a break every once and awhile and kick it with friends. At least, that's what Aoba reminds himself. He finds it hard to follow through with the idea sometimes.
> 
> Rated G

Aoba was deeply considering getting glasses, or at least casting a magnification spell in order to read the minuscule font of the dusty old tome he had open on the counter, when the shop bell rang.

“Welcome to Charm Shop Heibon, where you’ll find everything for your day-to-day mystical needs! What can I — oh.”

Aoba’s polite smile tightened to an unamused purse of his lips at the sight of his regular harassers bursting in with their usual ruckus. To think that he had been so close to shutting down his store on a peaceful note that evening.

“Aoba! Aoba!” Nao made an immediate hard right the moment he crossed the threshold, gesturing at a rack of various pendants on thin metal chains with a sleeve that was much too loose on him. “What are these? Can I have one?”

“They’re hexed necklaces,” said Aoba, propping his head on an upturned hand. He already knew he wasn’t going to get anymore work done. “For making annoying kids disappear forever.”

“You can make stuff like that?!”

He couldn’t. “Yep. Do you still want one?”

There was a certain amount of pleasure in seeing Nao almost trip over himself in his haste to back away from the rack.

“He’s lying,” drawled Kio, sauntering up to the counter and pawing through trays of plain metal rings and bits of colorful minerals. They were untouched, raw materials for the creative practitioner on a budget. “Aoba’s not smart enough to know those kinds of cool spells!”

“ _And_ they’re against the rules,” Mio added. She had wandered over to his spell book section, eyeing them with scorn. “That’s what my teacher said. He’d probably get thrown in jail for a million-billion years if he tried to use them on us.”

“It’d be worth the risk,” Aoba said under his breath. Then, louder, when he noticed Kio’s hands sneaking their way towards Ren, who was curled up at the end of the counter. “Leave him alone, Kio!”

Kio stuck his tongue out at him and scurried over to where his brother had wandered by the window display of mobile charms that glittered and spun on their wires.

“Hey,” said Mio. “Who’s going to buy all these books, anyway? In my class we use our Coils to read spells. This place is too old-fashioned.”

Aoba heaved a deep, heavy breath. A quiet bid for patience. “Well, if you’re not going to buy one of them then how about you three get out of here and head back home, huh?”

“Boys are so _rude!”_

“Aoba.”

That was Ren, accompanied by his round head bumping soft but insistent against his arm.

“Aoba,” he said again. “Kio and Nao are — ”

“Higher, Kio, higher!”

“Up you go!”

Aoba whipped around and gasped. Kio was standing on a step-stool, with Nao balanced precariously on his shoulders as he reached for one of the mobiles. The most complicated, expensive mobile, glittering with moonstones charmed to heighten psychic magic meant to last for well over a month. He had almost lost his voice using the long, powerful incantation required to make it. “Don’t you brats freakin’ _dare!_ I just set that up this mor—”

“Kio, stay still! I’m gonna — !”

“You’re...you’re really heavy! Ouch, quit it!”

“You two are gonna get us all in trouble,” Mio sighed, sounding more weary than worried.

Aoba made it halfway toward them before they crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs, snapped wires, moonstones, and panicked shouting. He cringed.

“Are you and Kio alright?” As much as the little snots bothered him with their perpetual goofing off, he’d much rather deal with that than have them hurt themselves on his watch.

Nao jumped up, arms flailing at his brother. “I told you to stop moving, Kio!”

“You almost broke my shoulders!” Kio yelled back, face red.

Oblivious to Aoba’s rapidly fading concern, the two boys began to yell at each other, which still did not manage to drown out Mio’s disdainful tutting from her place near the bookshelves.

“Dummies...”

It was the last straw. Aoba gnashed his teeth and slapped his hands over his mouth, whispering harsh words into them, feeling the burning tingle crawl out of his throat and onto his palms and then splashing it over his face like water. When the spell took hold he let out a roar that stopped the kids in their tracks.

 _“You’ve awakened my wrath!”_ Aoba bellowed. He raised his arms and lurched toward them, snarling the best he could and shaking out the dark, tangled mess of hair flaring from his grotesque new facial features.

“A-an oni!” Nao backed away so fast he bumped into Kio. “Aoba turned into an oni! _He’s gonna eat us all!”_

“See?! You guys got us all in trouble!” Mio somehow managed to make it to the door before her brothers. She shrieked and pushed at it, wailing louder when Aoba came closer and it wouldn’t open for her. It took everything Aoba had not to laugh at that. He guessed she forgot she needed to pull it, instead.

“Begone!” Aoba commanded as he pointed out his shop. “Begone or else I will...show you the rage of a demon witch!”

It didn’t sound like a very convincing threat to Aoba’s own ears, but the kids seemed to buy it wholesale. Kio’s infuriated flush drained to a chalky white. Nao had dove behind him to avoid Aoba’s burning, yellow-eyed glare.

“We’re sorry, Aoba!” Kio backed away as fast as he could with Nao clinging to him. “We’re sorry, we’re _sorry! Mio, pull the handle!”_

“Leave!” Aoba shouted once again.

With a cry of acute relief, Mio finally managed to yank the door open. Aoba let his hands drop and watched her, Nao, and Kio tumble out of his shop and onto the street. He waited until he could no longer hear their racket before collapsing onto the floor in a heap of laughter.

“Did I go too far?” Aoba asked an approaching Ren between giggles.

“Maybe a little,” Ren admitted, sitting next to him. “Though some of the wires will need replacing, the moonstones have not broken and the charm is still intact. It won’t take very long to fix.”

“That’s not too bad, then. I’ll get it done before bed tonight.”

He sighed flopped onto his back, arms spread. The irritation had left as quickly as it had sparked. Now he just felt rather silly for scaring a bunch of children.

But the resulting quiet was nice. Very nice. Despite the rippling waves of heat cascading over his face in the effort to maintain his oni mask, Aoba couldn’t help but close his eyes. A quick rest wouldn’t hurt. It was near closing time, anyway. Who was going to bother coming in this late…?

The jingle of the little bell over his door could have happened seconds or hours later. Aoba’s eyes flew open to the sight of the colorful hem of a red kimono.

“Oi, Aoba — Aoba?” Koujaku stared down at him, head tilted in bemusement.

Aoba gave him a sleepy, welcoming smile, realizing a little too late that the jutting underbite and yellow fangs of his disguise detracted a lot from its appeal. “Good evening, Koujaku.”

“What happened here?” he asked, brow furrowed. “And…and what’s with your face?”

“A bunch of hard-headed kids is what happened here,” Aoba replied. “And as for my face, well…” He glanced up at Koujaku and the very real horns curving out from his forehead. “How do I look? Authentic?”

Koujaku blinked. Then he laughed and offered his hand.

“We’re practically twins now.”

Aoba flashed a wider grin — vicious monster teeth be damned — and grasped his hand. Wide and rough made even rougher with the innumerable nicks and cuts on it. Aoba found the texture comforting in its familiarity.

“Thought so. I’m pretty good, huh?”

He let Koujaku haul him from the floor. A light tug of his arm was all it took to get Aoba upright again. He wasn't even half oni, but he was still very strong. Living evidence that supernatural blood always ran thick.

“S’cuse me…” Aoba cleared his throat and passed a hand over his face. _“Let all things called from the field return to the field.”_

His oni face shattered in a burst of blue light, peppering his skin with warm droplets of energy before fading away.

“Nao, Kio, and Mio were messing around in my shop again. So I...told them to leave. The mask was for encouragement.”

“Is that why they were screaming their heads off when they ran past me?” Koujaku chuckled. “You know that’s not gonna keep them away for long, right?”

Aoba simply groaned.

“Those three _love_ to hang out with you.”

Aoba groaned louder. “Don’t even say that!”

“What? They’re good kids!” Koujaku was grinning. “You don’t like them?”

“...They could be worse,” Aoba muttered, looking away and grumbling when Koujaku laughed again and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“Oooh, so you do like them!”

“Never said I didn’t, hippo.” He brushed Koujaku’s hand away and stuck his tongue out at him.

“They’ll be back before the week’s out, don’t worry,” Koujaku assured him, crouching to pet Ren’s head. “But for now, Mizuki has drinks waiting for us at the bar. You’re still going, right?”

“Oh, yeah! Of course, but…” Aoba looked down at his rumpled work clothes. “Ah, forget it, I’ll wear this there. Ready when you are.”

“It’s about time I managed to drag you away from work.”

“Hey, it’s been a busy month!” Aoba protested. The toe of his shoe bumped against a stray moonstone. He bent down and began to pick up the remnants of his broken product. “And even I have to put away my spells sometimes.”

“That’s a relief.” Aoba caught another flash of Koujaku’s smile. His teeth were pointed, too, but the fangs didn’t lessen the strange softness to the expression. But then Koujaku straightened up and stretched, and the moment was gone. “C’mon, Aoba, we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

“Anything interesting going on with you and Beni-shigure?” asked Aoba, brushing the wires against the wall for later cleanup with the side of his foot and placing the shimmering moonstones and mobile frame on his counter.

“A lot of drinks and a whole night’s worth of interesting things.”

Aoba hesitated. “Maybe not the entire night,” he said, turning one last moonstone over and over in his hand instead of looking at Koujaku. The pulse of the charm thrumming through it almost drowned out the strength of the hopeful air around Koujaku. Almost. His job could wait for once, couldn’t it?

...Yeah. He supposed it could.

He turned back to him with lips quirked upward. “I think I got a few hours in me, though.”

Koujaku's response was playful, but the hint of determination in it was clear. “We’ll see about that.”

And then Koujaku was ushering him out the door and into the chilly autumn night. It wasn’t long before they were talking and joking as they headed over to the Black Needle. Aoba wasn’t sure whether he’d end up leaving early or find himself stumbling back to his shop in the wee hours of the morning, but when Koujaku tried to pinch his nose and merely laughed when Aoba aimed a kick to his shin, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to put off rebuilding his charm until tomorrow. It had been awhile since he heard Koujaku laugh so freely, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "All Work and No Play" written by eternitywrites.
> 
> If you're curious: Savagen and I aren't interested in squeezing romantic relationship drama out of some kind of Aoba, Noiz, Koujaku triangle. We have different plans for Koujaku. They'll come to fruition eventually. In the meantime, please imagine Beni here in spirit until we figure out what to do with him.


	4. Precious (Noiz x Aoba)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noiz is caught offguard when Aoba shows a sudden interest with his rings. That afternoon, stories and facts behind his special accessories are told.
> 
> Some deeper than the last.
> 
> Rated G

Aoba was confusing.

But that was never really news to anyone, especially not Noiz. He was confusing when he fretted over dusty, ancient books when witches of the modern era had long since moved onto reading from the Coils on their wrists. He was confusing when he insisted on treating his familiar like a best friend and a confidant when they were merely used as tools, guides, bodyguards, or servants. And again, ‘confusing’ was the only word that comes to mind when Aoba’s face matched that of a morning sunbeam whenever he looked at Noiz, whereas anybody else in town wouldn’t so much as give him the time of day.

But today, almost from the moment he walked into Heibon for an after-hours visit, Aoba was being plain weird.

It was the one-sidedness of their current conversation that marked such strangeness. Aoba would give the occasional nod and absent-minded response in place of his usual probing replies to the things Noiz told him, his focus zeroed in on Noiz’s hands instead of his words. He had grabbed one as soon as Noiz had rested his arms on the front counter and fiddled with them with bright eyes, filled with intent and curiosity.

Noiz didn’t mind it, of course. He thought it was odd, but interesting to see the kinds of things that caught Aoba’s eye, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t find it a little cute. He would flex his hand or try to gently pull it away only for Aoba to stop him, brow knitted as he grumbled at him to hold still and stole Noiz’s hand back.

Okay, maybe it was _very_ cute.

“Well, you’ve certainly been into all the things my hands can do, lately, haven’t you? Want a closer look, or...?” It was just a usual offhanded remark to get his attention, but it gave Noiz just the reaction he wanted: A tomato-colored face and a light smack aimed at his shoulder.

“Don’t try me, brat. Get any smarter and I’ll turn you into some kid’s pet hamster.” Noiz scoffed knowing full well that Aoba sucked at transformation spells, but the ‘threat’ helped shut him up regardless. “Anyways, It’s not that -- Well, I guess it _is_ kind of, but it’s just…”

“Just what?”

Aoba’s eyes drifted back down to the task. “Well…”

Noiz patiently waited for him to finish. Five seconds turned into thirty, and thirty turned into a minute, but still nothing came as the other witch’s eyes were already fixed on something below -- his fingers in particular.

“I’ve been wondering a lot about these. I used to think you were only wearing them to be a show-off rich kid, but now I’m curious.”

Deciding to ignore that last part, Noiz watched as Aoba shifted his attention towards the shimmering bands of gold and silver that adorned some of his fingers, all with their own unique set of precious gemstones -- his magic rings.

Noiz was so used to wearing them that he sometimes forgot they were there. Whenever he was busy modding charms around the shop, he’d be far too into the task to notice when Aoba joined on a seat nearby to study him with the attention of a hawk, eyes focused on his hands as they skillfully reconfigured lines upon lines of sigils embedded into the object’s energy as if rewriting software code.

With a slight grin, he laid his chin in his unstolen hand, amused by Aoba’s interest. “Oh? What about them?”

Just seeing that rare smile made Aoba’s heart flutter, mind almost blanking on all of the questions he wanted to ask. Then with a quick ‘oh’, he perked up and started with the ring on Noiz’s middle finger, taking extra care not to get any fingerprints on the surface of the central ruby.

“Well... I’m still learning about gemstone magic, but I know enough to use a few of them in my charms,” Aoba continued as his thumb traced along the sigils engraved onto the ring’s metal. “Even then, you seem to know a lot more than me. Are these stones really that useful for arithmancy?”

Noiz nodded. “Yeah.”

“How?”

“Look closer.”

Glancing at Noiz then back down to the ruby ring, Aoba squinted at the faceted surface for something he hadn’t noticed before, leaning closer and closer until…

...There.

Beneath the gem’s surface, he could faintly see animated streams of ever-changing numbers and sigils mingling together as they flowed in and out from the corners of the ruby’s edges, a mesmerising collection ready and waiting for use the next time Noiz would happen upon a new object to modify. Turning Noiz’s finger just a bit, Aoba spotted the miniscule carvings of those very same numbers and sigils etched onto the bridge that kept the stone in place, lighting up momentarily when the corresponding symbols cycled in and out through those particular corners. From a distance, Aoba would probably assume the ring’s inner activities were just mere tricks of the store’s lighting against the gem.

“It’s so…” Aoba’s eyes widened in fascination. So many intricacies in such a small object was nothing less than amazing, nothing less than incredible, nothing less than -- “...Wow.”

Of course something like this would be cool to the lesser experienced witch, but as usual, Noiz didn’t really regard it with much thought, simply shrugging as if things like this were basic at best.

“I guess. It’s just something to make the job a little quicker. But,” Noiz leaned in closer over the counter, causing Aoba to reflexively lean back in response. “There’s more to these than just my work.”

“Eh? More?”

“Yeah,” Noiz said as he splayed his hand out across Aoba’s palm, allowing him a better view of the assortment of metal and gemstones. “You already know how different stones interact with the Field, right?”

“Ah, right, but…” Aoba’s gaze drifted to the side as he rubbed his neck sheepishly. “I’m still kinda foggy about the ones you have. Having a few moonstones lying around doesn’t really make me much of an expert.”

A faint smile inched its way onto Noiz’s expression. The middle finger holding the ruby casually drew circles into Aoba’s palm as he spoke. “Then I guess I’ll start with this one.”

Aoba could hardly contain his anticipation. It was one thing for him to get a brief lesson in something he still knew so little about, but it was another to hear it all from a reclusive guy like Noiz. He seemed the kind of guy who’d just scoff, disregard and wave away any attempt at making him explain ‘troublesome things that anybody should know’, or at least that’s what Aoba was guilty of thinking to himself at first glance. But during these past few months, Noiz was more and more eager about opening himself up and sharing new things with Aoba that he would have otherwise never assumed about him.

In all truth, Aoba just wanted to learn more about Noiz.

Noiz went on. “There’s a lot to these, but I’ll try to keep it simple for now. If you’re going for a good ward or something for protective spells, then one of your best bets would be a ruby. They’re hard to get, but they’re a pretty big deal.”

Sounds more like an expensive deal, Aoba thought to himself. “That seems a little rich for my blood, but I guess guys like you can swim in that kinda stuff, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess. I read a story once about kings who’d trade whole cities for a single good one.” Then, without hesitation, “You want some?”

Noiz offered it with an expression as flat as ever, a complete contrast to Aoba’s own stunned face. He should have known better than to walk right into that trap. It was definitely not the first time Noiz has been so quick to want to spoil him in small ways, and knowing him, it wasn’t going to be the last. Either way, Aoba had his pride to think about than let his former temp give him back the very same money he had paid him.

Noiz must’ve sensed that thought too as he stopped him before he could protest. “It’s fine. I was gonna buy more in case this one stops working.”

“Still, I can’t accept that,” Aoba retorted with a pout, “I don’t want you to waste your money on me.”

At that, Noiz let out a deep sigh, brow furrowed. “It’s not a waste if I want to. Besides... I know you’ll probably make something good out of it because that’s just the kind of guy you are. That’s enough of a reason by itself.”

If there was any time the younger man complimented his skills, that would be it. Any other arguments Aoba had fizzled away on his tongue, replaced instead with a modest smile and a spread of pink on his cheeks.

"If that means what I think it means, thanks. Don’t think I can give you a city for it, though."

“Don’t worry about it.”

Then...

"Noiz! There's more! You forgot!"

From the far side of the counter, Ren perked up from his nap as something shifted in his blue puff of a tail with a high-pitched squeak. It took the thing a bout of struggling against ethereal fur before Aoba could fully make out something small and white, just vaguely resembling a rabbit.

“Pi! Aoba! Did you know? In some places, the ruby is also considered to be called the ‘Love Stone’! It’s said that some people used it as a way of increasing sexual--”

“You’re being noisy again.” Gritting his teeth, Noiz snapped his fingers and all further sounds from the squeaking familiar were muted into nothingness before it could interrupt him further. Expectedly, that last little bit caused Aoba to glare at him, face red from something other than bashfulness.

“‘Love Stone’, huh? I don’t suppose you’re giving it out of the goodness of your heart and not just so you can get me to act as horny as you do, right?” Aoba accused, eyes narrowed to a squint. But his front wavered when Noiz shot a knowing look back at him.

“Maybe… But you’re still interested, right? Don’t you want to try it out?”

Aoba flinched without an immediate comeback. “...Yeah, for work reasons _only!_ Forget about any weird ideas in that pervert head of yours.”

Noiz clicked his tongue, but not without a slight curve to his lips. “Next.”

Soon after that, Noiz went on to talk about the other rings and their uses, starting with the silver-clad opal Aoba had immediately pointed to as a follow-up. As he spoke, the other witch listened intently throughout lengthy stories of ancient beliefs and practices utilized even to this day, as well as tales of early doctors, rogues, and rulers of grand nations turning to these very same stones for power, health, and protection. For just a small moment, Aoba could envision himself as a king from way back when, with treasuries of jewels, regal robes, and the divine powers of the gods themselves wrapped snugly around his fingers. He sighed wistfully at the tantalizing thought.

Well beyond an hour had gone by before all that was left to discuss was his emerald, of which Aoba immediately noticed he had one of on each hand. He hummed, curious, and Noiz paused himself to catch the question on the tip of his tongue.

“What is it?”

“Is that your favorite stone?”

Aoba didn’t fail to notice the slight scrunch of his brow before Noiz took a long glance at his ring, pondering something. Then, he chuckled softly under his breath.

“Not particularly.” He replied with a half-hearted shrug.

Still, Aoba couldn’t let it slide so soon. “Then why two? Are they helpful or do you just really like that color?”

The questions were innocent enough, Aoba assumed. Just a small observation. But even then, the mood seemed to shift slightly as Noiz’s gaze locked with his own, the faintest shimmer of something soft and vulnerable behind eyes similar to the jewel’s hue.

"I guess you can say that. Unlike the others, I’ve been using these for..." Suddenly, his voice softened and his shoulders sunk as he recalled something. “...A pretty long time now.”

With a quiet sigh, he left the conversation at that despite how passionate he was about these stones just moments before. A heavy silence weighed over the shop, and the older witch felt a sinking apprehension that perhaps he pried a little too much, and that perhaps there was still something that Noiz wasn’t ready to share with him just yet.

“I see...” Suddenly too aware of himself, Aoba reeled his hands back and resettled them on his lap, fidgeting for some way to move along the subject. It’s already pretty late and he’s probably learned enough by now. “Hey, Noiz? Do you wanna--?”

“I use them for luck.”

Aoba glanced up to him.

“Luck?”

A deep breath escaped Noiz’s lips as he reclines back in his seat. Not annoyed, just tired. “Yeah… well, no. Maybe ‘luck’ isn’t the right word. ‘For reassurance’ sounds better, I guess. Dealing with some of the things I do, it’s not exactly a bad thing to have around.“

Aoba was beginning to understand, somewhat.

Noiz was strong. Physically. Emotionally. _Always_ sure of himself… at least, that’s how Aoba perceived him so many months ago when he’d first walked into his store, composed and aloof with the air of someone who could handle anything. The distance he always seemed to keep between himself and others hinted at a weight on him, something indistinct and heavy Aoba only saw glimpses of before Noiz caught himself and tucked it back out of sight. Aoba certainly knew what that was like. He didn’t blame Noiz for investing in mystic items for a reprieve from it all. A temporary reprieve, sure, but anything to catch that much-needed breath before trudging onward.

“I see...” Aoba commented with a nod. “So they’re basically charms? I didn’t know you were into actually _using_ stuff like that… though, I guess you wouldn’t hang around here if you weren’t.”

Noiz frowned as he stared pointedly at him. “I don’t come around here for the charms.”

Aoba blinked once. Then, realization slammed into him as a warmth spread across his cheeks. “Right.”

“And anyway,” Noiz continued. “I never said I wouldn’t use one. But these… they’re more than just charms. They’re…”

He stopped himself to look off to the side, pondering something with a far-away look in his eyes. For once, Noiz seemed to be contemplating his words rather than shoot off what he already knew.

“Thing is… the point of an emerald is to calm you. And to protect you, both physically and mentally. And for some users... it's no use having only one."

“Ah,” Aoba hummed in gradual understanding. “I see.”

Calm. Protect.

What did they protect Noiz from, Aoba wondered.

There was a lot more to Noiz than he knew, and probably a lot more that happened or had happened in his life that he could possibly ever account for. And even from this point on, there would still be things that would happen that even Aoba couldn’t help.

But even knowing that, a part of him still wanted to be able to support Noiz, just as much as any magic ring could.

He listened closely as Noiz went on.

“And it’s not just that. Other than the usual things like good business fortune and exorcisms, they were often used as a way to heal people.”

“Of their wounds?”

Noiz’s mouth formed a tight line.

“...That’s part of it, yeah.”

Aoba noticed the way his expression fell, something close to downcast-- not much of a change to anyone else, but being around Noiz for as long as he have, he could see it a mile away. He gave Noiz a reassuring smile as he reached over the counter once more to intertwine their fingers together.

“Hey, Noiz?” Aoba said, the name soft under his voice. “These rings... They’re not all you have to rely on, you know? There’s something else too.”

Gathering his confidence, he leaned over the counter with the faintest touch of his lips finding their way to Noiz, a small but honest gesture that was immediately reciprocated with mutual understanding. Only a second passed and they separate, Aoba’s cheeks dusted with a mild pink once more.

The rougher hands folded in his own squeezed gently in reply. It was then that Aoba noticed the faintest glow coming from both of the emerald rings, coupled alongside the buzzing waves of serenity that swam freely from the other witch’s fingertips and into his veins. He doesn’t comment on it, doesn’t pull away, but simply allowed himself to bask in the ever pleasant runoff of Noiz’s feelings.

“I know.” A momentary pause. Then, Noiz continued with hands that squeezed his just a little tighter. “There’s another thing.”

“Hm?”

“It’s the other reason I use them. Spell an emerald right and it can promise stability. For magic, emotions, and also…” He brought one of Aoba’s hands close, pressing another kiss against the back and grinning triumphantly when it managed to flustered him further. “I read it promotes successful relationships and domestic bliss. Maybe I’m still not used to this kind of thing yet, but with you… I don’t want to lose it either. I just want to do my best with you.”

“Noiz…”

He wanted to blame the shop’s lighting, but Aoba could almost see the familiar light in the other man’s eyes, full of a genuine honesty that he and he alone only ever got to see during times like this. He couldn’t say that he too hadn’t had his own fears of what the future had planned for the both of them, that was not to say that he wouldn’t hold onto his faith that everything would be fine, and that he and Noiz would go on to see bright days ahead of them and many more after that.

“That… I think I can understand. Like I said before, it’s still a pretty new thing for me too and to be honest, I can’t promise what’ll happen in the end. But,“ Aoba continued on, beaming at Noiz with smile full of love -- the very same smile the other man couldn’t tell apart from the light that lit up every beautiful morning. “What I can promise is that I’ll try my best, too. For both of us. I think that’ll be enough. Us trying our best together. Then maybe one day you won’t have to rely on your emeralds so much. You’re pretty strong, Noiz, but whenever you don’t feel that way you can lean on me if you’d like.”

The look on Noiz’s face became tender at Aoba’s words, his tense posture relaxing as if a huge burden had finally lifted itself from his back. With a slight smile, he brought Aoba's hand to his lips once more, this time placing soft, grateful butterfly kisses along his fingers. There was a gravity to it that differed from his earlier kiss, intense and solemn in a way that Aoba found captivating.

Perhaps Noiz’s touch was too light and ticklish. He glanced up at Aoba, a bit confused at the sudden laugh he heard. “What’s so funny?”

Aoba tried to stifle himself with his spare hand. “Haha!-- No, no, it’s nothing, it’s just… Well I just realized, about right now… you kind of remind me of a prince.”

“A prince?”

“Yeah! Well, sort of,” Aoba’s said, finally calming down. “The rings and the way you did that… It made you look really regal. All you’re missing is a crown.”

Noiz’s only reaction was to shrug before a mischievous smirk spread from the very thought. “I don’t really think so. But if that’s how it is, then how about a ring kiss?”

As usual, Noiz’s suggestion knocked the grin right off his face. “Eh?”

“It’s a show of respect in some places. As a sign of devotion, you have to kiss royalty’s ring.” Noiz taunted him as he presented his hand in front of Aoba’s face. “Well?”

“What? _No way!_ I said you reminded me of a prince, not that you _are_ one!”

“Then a normal kiss is okay?” Grinning, Noiz suddenly leaned in only inches away from Aoba’s face, eyes closed as if waiting for a kiss to come. The other witch grumbled out a defeated ‘cheeky brat’ before finally giving in and pecking him softly against the lips.

“There, how’s that?”

Noiz hummed, “It was alright. But you’re supposed to spoil princes, right? How about a deeper one?”

Noiz let out a soft chuckle as Aoba smacked him for the second time that day.

After that, they spent the rest of their free afternoon together, enjoying each other’s company as they delved further into fabled stories of old techniques and magical gems, occasionally sharing smiles and laughter with the reassurance that they would always be there to pick each other up when they’re down, no matter how many obstacles came their way.

At the end of the day, his mind still filled with delicate shades of blue long after he had departed from Aoba and his shop, Noiz decided that it would be nice to add an aquamarine stone or two to his collection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Precious" - Written by Savagen
> 
> HELLO I'm here to finally add my own stuff to this collection because I can't let eternitywrites carry all the weight. I meant for my first fic to be more.... special, but this works too. So if u were wondering why the writing style is different, that's why.
> 
> Anyways, this was meant to be tooth-rotting fluff but it turned more or less into character study (and gemstone study) for myself. I promise the next fic from me will be more interesting.
> 
> MASSIVE THANKS TO ETERNITYWRITES FOR BEING THE BEST BETA IN THE WORLD. :*


	5. Routines (Noiz & Aoba)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aoba's new best customer also drives him up the wall.
> 
> Rated G

Noiz might carry an air of swift unpredictability about him, but Aoba has also noticed the kid likes a bit of routine. Or, at least, he likes _this_ routine. It's been going on for nearly a month, after all, with no signs of stopping any time soon. It's the sort of persistence that Aoba would consider commendable if it wasn't being used to disrupt his work.

Aoba opens his doors at eight a.m. sharp. About three times a week, Noiz comes in exactly one hour later. He greets Aoba with a lazy hand wave or a quiet "yo" or just a glance of cool acknowledgement. A most galling glance, in Aoba's opinion. The glance of an unwelcome loiterer who knows he's unwelcome and doesn't care at all.

"Buy something or leave." Aoba often finds himself snapping three out of five of his work days, because he is also a sucker for routine.

"I'm not allowed to browse, first?"

And Aoba chafes and grumbles in response because _of course_ his customers are allowed to browse and Noiz takes advantage of that. A whole morning's worth of advantage, most of the time. Noiz goes through Aoba's crowded bookshelves (with an upturned nose, Aoba notes with equal disdain. Apparently, the guy has something against words on actual paper), spins the racks of cheap, inert spellbase jewelry around, makes a few circuits around the store. It's weird, it's suspicious, and Aoba can kick him out without a sweat (probably), but at the same time...

"He's not up to anything?" asks Aoba in a whisper a week into his and Noiz's standoff. Noiz has tucked himself into a corner, thumbing through a book on the magical properties of plants. Thin clouds of dust plume up every time he turns a page. "Like, he's not trying to hex my shop, or -- "

"I sense no active magic from him," says Ren, voice quiet as he trains dark, unblinking eyes on Noiz. "Malevolent or beneficial."

"He's really just...hanging around?"

"As far as I can tell."

So, reluctantly, uncertainly, Aoba lets Noiz at his business. Letting Noiz at his business nets Aoba more business, and business is business, as Aoba has come to learn since operating Heibon.

But that lesson doesn't stop Aoba from becoming hideously annoyed by it all at times.

He finds himself slamming his hands down on his back counter one morning. Wisps of light scatter and fade away from him, the result of a spell half-cast.

"Stop it!" He glares at Noiz. It's hard to discern Noiz's reaction with the sunglasses he likes to wear, but Aoba gets the distinct feeling he's unimpressed. He has taken a seat on Aoba's spare stool as close as he can get to Aoba's work space. So close, he might as well be behind the register with him. He's been mistaken as an employee half a dozen times by other customers since Heibon opened.

"Stop what?" As if he doesn't know. Asshole.

"Staring," Aoba clarifies. Maybe he _doesn't_ know. Either way, it won't hurt to spell it out for him. "It's distracting and I need to finish this before lunch!"

And it _is_ distracting. Aoba's come to find that there's an odd, unsettling quality to Noiz's scrutiny. It's difficult to ignore even at the best of Aoba's patience.

"I'm not stopping until I figure out your magic."

"What is there to figure out?!" This again. At least the guy is open about his motives. It's the only reason Aoba has let him linger for so long, blunt and determined as he is whenever this part of their dance proceeds. Noiz doesn't seem like the type who bothers with lying. Or maybe Aoba's just gullible. Aoba bites back the rest of what he wants to say, mashes his palm against his forehead and takes a deep breath before continuing in quieter, more professional words. "Look, I'm _so_ sorry one of my products caused you harm, but -- "

"I don't care about that," Noiz interrupts. "Not anymore. I just want to know how you did it."

"Sir," Aoba spits the word out like a bad cough, "there's nothing much to know. Accidents and malfunctions happen all the time with spells."

Noiz's head tilts minutely in thought. "Not in the way it happened with the charm I bought from you. Not at all." His focus flicks back to Aoba, hard and accusatory. "There's more to it. More to what you cast. I know there is."

"There isn't!" Aoba tells him . "You've been watching me, haven't you? This --" He gestures to the pieces of his charm order in front of him. " -- this is all I do."

"We'll see." Is all Noiz replies with before settling back in his seat, and Aoba can tell his insistence has fallen on deaf ears.

So it continues on. Days turn into weeks, and if there is any wavering in Noiz's ill-placed fixation on his spellwork Aoba can't see it. Aoba's only reprieve from it are the occasions Noiz leaves his shop early. He'll check his Coil, answer a text or a call, and sweep out of Heibon without so much as a backward glance. Aoba tries not to wonder what it is Noiz does for a living. His clothes always look trendy and expensive. It's probably something lucrative, maybe something not-so-legal. Either way, it's none of Aoba's concern.

What is of Aoba's concern is how wrong-footed he feels whenever it happens. It's as if Noiz steals the wind out of Aoba's sails with his abrupt departure.

"Are you alright, Aoba?" asks Ren during one such instance.

Aoba gives a loud snort and spins around, looking for something to wipe down his counters and all too aware of how he stared blankly after Noiz as he left.

"He could at least be polite and say goodbye," Aoba mutters, hoping he sounds passably indignant. "'Goodbye, Seragaki-san, thanks for letting me bother the hell out of you for hours on end...'"

There's a definite note of concern in Ren's whimper. Aoba attacks his counter with the rag he finds in his apron pocket, face red as his mumbling becomes increasingly nonsensical. There's little relief to be found in his suddenly empty shop. It makes him wonder if Noiz is casting some kind of curse on him, after all.

Aoba doesn't know what to do with the aloof enigma he has found himself saddled with. Noiz doesn't harass his other customers, almost always buys something from him, and does more watching than talking. Watching, Aoba has come to realize, in a way that goes right through Aoba and zeroes in on even the most innocuous spells he casts. So Aoba watches him in turn, swearing to himself that Noiz will get the boot as soon as he causes real trouble. It doesn't feel like much of a plan, but he figures it'll do until the situation escalates.

And it does bear a little fruit one day, much to Aoba's surprise.

"Finally decided on what to buy?" asks Aoba with just a touch of insincerity to his innocent question as he bags Noiz's latest purchase (a fourteenth century book on astronomy) and rings him up.

"Mm."

It's the most distracted sound Aoba's ever heard out of him. Noiz isn't looking at him, either (Aoba wonders if Noiz has ever _really_ looked at him), but at something over Aoba's shoulder. Aoba follows his gaze curiously before glancing at Noiz again with a knit brow.

"Charms for children," Aoba says, pointing a thumb back at the mobile he hung up just that morning. Strung up on it were little round rabbits. Made of felt, stuffed with cotton, more of a replica of the mochi served on _Tsukimi_ than of the actual animal. They're incredibly simple, but Aoba is still rather proud of how they turned out.

"What do they do?" asks Noiz. There's actual interest in his tone. It almost makes him sound like a different person.

"Well, not a whole lot," Aoba admits. "They're for locomotive spell practice."

There is enough curiosity exuding from Noiz that Aoba decides a demonstration is in order. He takes one down and sets it down on the counter in front of Noiz.

"Awaken."

At Aoba's command, it begins to hop the length of the counter. He can tell Noiz's eyes are glued to it behind his shades, and Aoba finds himself fighting down a small smile.

"And then kids can make it move wherever they want," Aoba explains. "A safe thing, you know, in case their magic is off and they end up shooting it all over the room."

"Huh." Noiz doesn't seem to want to look away from it.

"Would...you like one?" asks Aoba tentatively.

"It looks like my--" And then his alertness snaps back. "Sure."

No more enthusiasm, no more soft tone. But they _were_ there for a moment. Aoba is sure he wasn't imagining things. He catches the little rabbit charm, and Noiz scans his Coil to the cash register again while Aoba puts it back to sleep and tosses it in the bag with Noiz's book.

"See ya," says Noiz, just before he exits the shop. The words are like an afterthought occurring to him at the last second, and almost drowned out by the tinkling of the bell above the door. Then he's gone, and he has yet to come back twice in a day.

"Do you think he's an alright guy?" Aoba asks Ren after a long stretch of thoughtful silence.

"I can’t say one way or the other."

"Think it's worth finding out?"

"That's up to you, Aoba."

"Guess it is," he murmurs, and decides that if Noiz is going to be giving him so much patronage, he might as well try to figure him out a bit while he's around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Routines written by eternitywrites
> 
> This is all thanks to sudden inspiration from a friend's tweet, and what better way to kick October off than with witch otp? I do like the idea of getting a couple more fics out for the spirit of Halloween, but we'll see! In any case, this isn't abandoned in the slightest, we just have a very...easygoing pace when it comes to working on it. The witch au train is slow but unstoppable.


	6. Sit Back and Watch (Noiz x Aoba)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aoba and Noiz, not for the first or last time, bring a little magic into the bedroom to celebrate Valentine's Day.
> 
> Rated Explicit.

Nookie on Valentine's Day. Aoba should have figured he and Noiz would count themselves among the masses of people who honored such a tradition.

But should he have figured it would happen like _this?_ Aoba sat back against the wall and admired his handiwork on Noiz, mostly because it took his mind off how very nude he happened to be. Noiz was a ways away from him, propped against his table, hands and legs tied with glimmering blue ropes Aoba had conjured up after days of careful research. They had a bit of stretch to them (and judging by the passages he had read whoever it was that created the spell did so exactly for this purpose, the horny witch), but despite that and Noiz's reassurance, he still thought they ought to be looser.

Noiz caught his eye and grinned. He appeared especially wanton in the dim light. "This is a good look for me, don't you think?"

Aoba didn't think he could flush any darker than he already was, but his body continued to surprise him. "Looks uncomfortable, if you ask me."

Noiz shifted against his binds. The magic extended into the floor, strapping him in place like some poor, wriggling bug in a spider's web. "It is, a little. I like it this way. Don't worry about me."

"Does it _hurt?"_

He shook his head. "No. I'm fine, hasi. Really."

If Noiz insisted...Aoba frowned and looked him over again. Not only was he tied up, his pants were still on. And he had been very adamant about them staying on and zipped up throughout the whole ordeal. But even though he had asked for that, it still didn't feel all that fair to Aoba.

Noiz raised his eyebrows as Aoba shuffled toward him on hands and knees. "What's up?"

Aoba glanced away, but when he slid up Noiz's body he made sure their chests brushed together. He shivered. The contact was warm, electric, raised goosebumps on his skin. Noiz's inhalation felt sharp and surprised against his body.

"It's just...well..." Aoba's mouth couldn't form his reasons. He knew they'd sound silly once spoken out loud. After all, wasn't Noiz's discomfort the whole point of the act? That he was immobile, that he couldn't touch, that Aoba would remain out of his reach no matter how much he asked for him. And Aoba wasn't _too_ dense, he understood there was pleasure to be found in denial.

Maybe he was a softy, and maybe he was also kind of greedy, but he wanted to let Noiz touch him. Just a little. Just for a bit. It couldn't hurt.

He lowered his head and pressed his lips against Noiz's, arms slung around his shoulders, on his knees so that Noiz couldn't grind their hips together. Noiz's smile curled against his skin in a way that made Aoba glow. He gave Noiz small nibbles and licks between kisses, gladly opened his mouth when Noiz's tongue lapped at it and moaned at the wet, invading heat exploring the inside of him. Noiz replied in soft, sweet sounds, his body melting beneath him. It felt right, and Aoba knew he had made a good decision.

Noiz was the one who broke their kiss, but his lips didn't leave Aoba. They drifted down and stayed pressed against Aoba's chin while Aoba caught his breath.

"Breaking so soon?" Noiz murmured. "We haven't even gotten started, yet."

"Shush," sighed Aoba, eyes closed and hand smoothing over Noiz's tense shoulder. "You liked it."

"I loved it."

Aoba smiled.

Noiz moved against him. Aoba could hear the faint crackle of the magic ropes stretching. "Still wanna do this?"

"Depends. Are your arms and legs going numb?"

"Not at all."

It was good enough for Aoba. Not without reluctance, he got off of Noiz and went back over to his original spot against the wall. There were some pillows for comfort, a wet washcloth for cleanup, and a bright pink dildo next to a bottle of lube for the performance he was about to put on.

Really, what they were doing wasn't all _that_ extreme, Aoba reminded himself when he sat back down and picked up the dildo. Light bondage and sex toys were practically vanilla nowadays. But the fluttering of nervous butterflies inside him persisted and only grew stronger when he bent his knees and spread them wide apart.

 _It's okay,_ he thought. _It's just Noiz and I, in private, and I’m showing him something he's seen and liked countless times before._

“C’mon,” Noiz drawled when Aoba hesitated for a moment too long. The casual, playful tone offset the anticipation that rolled off him in waves. Aoba tore his eyes away from his toy and looked back at him. He kept biting at his lips, now swollen and red after their heavy kissing. His cheeks were flushed, too, and his eyes drilled holes into Aoba with the strength of his intent. “We don’t have all night.”

That wasn’t a lie. Even if Noiz spent the whole night with him (which happened often nowadays. They weren’t quite at the point where they would suggest living together, but it was getting there) they both still had work in the morning. Regardless, Aoba knew he had a certain role to play in this.

“K-keep…” Aoba cleared his throat. A little stage fright was normal, wasn’t it? Especially with how exposed he was. “Keep talking like that and I’ll kick you out. I mean it.”

Aoba waited. Noiz kept his mouth shut, but his grin was back and said enough on its own. As did his stare, burning with want that lit Aoba up with just as much heat.

“Good.” Aoba made a passable attempt at sounding stern. He could probably work more on his take-charge dirty talk routine, so he decided to skip any more attempts of it and rubbed his tongue over the head of his dildo.

Noiz’s responding sigh was of utter bliss as he watched. It sent a pleasant tingle over Aoba’s skin. He wasn’t quite sure how he looked (silly, probably. Porn actor he was not), but Noiz was enjoying himself, he was fast warming up to it, and wasn’t that what counted? Aoba’s body gave a slow, sinuous roll, and he took the toy a little further in his mouth with a stifled groan.

That was when Noiz started to speak.

Aoba shivered as he licked and sucked on his toy, not quite as mindful of the drool threatening to escape his mouth as he would have been otherwise, not with Noiz’s low words of encouragement filling his ears and clouding his thoughts.

“Slower,” he told him. “Swallow deeper. Don’t close your eyes, Aoba. Look at me.”

Noiz wasn’t smiling anymore. His teeth were bared and he was pulling against the blue lines of magic tying him in place. His hips were moving, too, rubbing against nothing but air. Aoba could only imagine the frustration those pants were causing him, with no way to remove them.

Aoba slid the toy out of his mouth with a gasp, muscles tight with anticipation and his own cock already throbbing for relief. He grabbed the lube next to him and poured it on his toy, concentrating on the task so that he no longer had to meet Noiz’s gaze full on.

“You’re really impatient,” Aoba murmured, slicking the dildo as much as he could.

Noiz gave a strangled laugh. “You just now noticed? I’m always impatient. Always so damn impatient for you…hasi, I want to fuck you into the wall.”

Aoba managed to grin at that. His hands were trembling, but not out of nerves. The anxiousness was long gone. “But I thought you just wanted to watch? Well, it’s too late to change your mind, now, kid.”

Aoba reached down with slippery fingers and rubbed them over his ass, never quite sliding in, spreading his legs out to make sure Noiz could see what he did to himself. He whimpered, teasing himself as much as he teased Noiz, clutching on to whatever reserves of control he had inside himself while his hips jutted against the stroking of his hand. He had had plans to play with himself more, whisper sexy things at Noiz while he did so, but they had flown out of his head awhile ago. The painful build-up of his need to be filled was all he could think about.

The sounds that came from Noiz had changed. They were rougher, now, louder, mingling with the snap of the ropes as he tried again and again to break free. Realizing how much he was straining for him made Aoba hot all over. He couldn’t keep up the torture. He wanted it just as bad.

Noiz uttered a needy, wild moan when Aoba slid the toy inside of him, and Aoba cried out along with him with no heed to the way the lights in his room flickered in warning. He had done this to himself every so often, and it was always good but now it wasn’t good enough. He wanted Noiz’s cock in him with all its pulsing heat and thickness…he began to fuck himself fast and sloppy, biting his lip to keep himself quiet and force the power of his voice back down. It was like swallowing hot coals. It spilled back into his gut, throwing searing sparks that made his hips buck up, so painful without Noiz’s weight to anchor him back down again.

“No, no, not like that,” Noiz ground out, words slipping out between ragged panting. “Fuck yourself the way I fuck you. I need to see it. Let me see that, hasi, please. You know how I like to fuck you.”

Aoba was supposed to be the one in charge, but he was too deep in ecstasy to do anything but listen, anything that would get himself to come. He keened as he changed the stroke of the dildo, slow and hard, dragging it all the way out before pushing it back it. God, he wasn’t going to last. He didn’t even remember when his free hand had grabbed his dick and started to pump at it, but he wasn’t going to stop, he was much too close.

“You look so fucking good.” Aoba could barely register Noiz’s desperate praise above the blood pounding in his head. “Let me go. Let me go so I can — hasi, I need it. I need you. I need to touch you. Let me go. Let me go, Aoba, _please_ — !”

Hearing Noiz’s voice break was what did Aoba in at last. He came with a shout, body convulsing with the force of it, mind wiped of everything as sensation burned and choked the life out of him. When it was over he slumped back, bones and muscles watery, taking the toy out of himself and letting it fall out of his hand.

His recovery wasn’t quiet. Noiz breathed heavily, shifting against the table behind him. Aoba chanced a glance at him and Noiz stared back, brow furrowed and hips still rutting upward in search of pleasure.

“Noiz, do you…?” Aoba trailed off. Noiz shook his head and looked down, chest heaving. The game was still on. If that was what he wanted…

Aoba took his time. He cleaned himself off with his washcloth, put his underwear back on, took his dildo to the bathroom so he could remember to clean it later, all while trying his best to pretend that Noiz wasn’t there. When he was done he sat at his side. Noiz didn’t say anything, just looked at him, expression vulnerable in a way that made Aoba want to kiss him again, slow and soothing.

“Shame you can’t stay with me tonight,” Aoba said instead. It was an unspoken invitation. All Noiz had to do was tell him otherwise and he would get his satisfaction. Aoba was tired, but the idea of Noiz fucking him to oblivion and back still appealed.

“Yeah. Shame.”

Noiz was nothing if not insistent.

Aoba leaned over until his mouth almost touched the shell of Noiz’s ear.

_“Be free of that which binds you.”_

The spell broke, straps of light twisting and bursting like miniature fireworks before they faded away. Noiz straightened up abruptly, and with the way his arm reached for him Aoba was sure he was going to pull him on top of him.

So he handed Noiz his shirt, instead.

There was a definite note of embarrassment in the way Noiz clicked his tongue as he shrugged his shirt on. Aoba grinned. Okay, this was actually kind of fun.

Noiz got up. Aoba didn’t stop him until Noiz reached the door (his gait was unsteady. It made Aoba’s heart thump heavy against his ribs) before he tested his luck.

“No goodbye kiss?”

Noiz turned around, eyes narrowed. Aoba arranged his expression into what he hoped was one of complete innocence.

Noiz walks back over to him, leaning down and giving him nothing but the gentlest peck in retaliation.

“Wow, I’m pretty impressed, Noiz,” Aoba admitted when they parted. “You have a lot of restraint.”

Noiz hummed, his eyes flicking up and down Aoba’s semi-naked form. His expression was hard to read.

“Noiz?”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Aoba blinked. “Ah, yeah. Happy Valentine’s Day. Sleep well, Noiz.”

“‘Night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Noiz left with little fanfare, taking the undercurrent of tension with him. Aoba sighed and stretched, and just when he was considering getting ready for bed his Coil’s text tone went off.

 **Noiz:** there’s no way i’ll be able to stop thinking about you tonight. You’re gonna want to go down into the store at least an hour before you usually do tomorrow.

Aoba snorted a laugh. He could see it already. He’d open the door for Noiz when he went into the shop that morning, and before he knew it he’d be dragged into the break room, or perhaps picked up and put on top of his front desk. And he’ll complain just to complain while he arches into the hands Noiz slipped under his shirt…

 **Aoba:** good thinking. i have a lot of stuff to pull off the shelves, anyway. can’t hurt to give myself extra time to do that before i open.

 **Noiz:** very funny.

 **Aoba:** hehehe i thought you’d like that.

 **Aoba:** but i’ll be up bright and early. just for you. promise.

 **Noiz:** i’ll hold you to that. see you.

 **Aoba:** bye  <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by eternitywrites
> 
> i was going to celebrate otp day w/ another innocent G-rated fic, then i found this old thing in my docs and thought it seemed far more appropriate for the day. happy valentine's day!


End file.
